Spectral analysis of detailed vertical wind speed profiles
Cape Kennedy vertical wind speed profiles measured by spectral analysis using fast Fourier transform method
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Cape Kennedy vertical wind speed profiles measured by spectral analysis using fast Fourier transform method
The prediction of the wind profile maximum speed at Cape Kennedy, Florida, is made for any selected calendar data. The prediction is based on a normal probability distribution model with 15 years of smoothed input data and is static in the sense that no dynamic principles of persistence or synoptic features are considered. Comparison with similar predictions based on 6 years of data shows the same general pattern, but the variability decreased with the increase of sample size.
Two NASA goals are to enhance airport safety and to improve capacity in all weather conditions. This paper contributes to these goals by examining speed guidance profiles to aid a pilot in decelerating along the runway to an exit. A speed profile essentially tells the pilot what the airplane's speed should be as a function of where the airplane is on the runway. While it is important to get off the runway as soon as possible (when striving to minimize runway occupancy time), the deceleration along a speed profile should be constrained by passenger comfort. Several speed profiles are examined with respect to their maximum decelerations and times to reach exit speed. One profile varies speed linearly with distance; another has constant deceleration; and two related nonlinear profiles delay maximum deceleration (braking) to reduce time spent on the runway.
Theoretical development and computer implementation of three guidance algorithms are presented. From a small set of input parameters the algorithms generate the ground track, altitude profile, and speed profile required to implement an experimental 4-D guidance system. Given a sequence of waypoints that define a nominal flight path, the first algorithm generates a realistic, flyable ground track consisting of a sequence of straight line segments and circular arcs. Each circular turn is constrained by the minimum turning radius of the aircraft. The ground track and the specified waypoint altitudes are used as inputs to the second algorithm which generates the altitude profile. The altitude profile consists of piecewise constant flight path angle segments, each segment lying within specified upper and lower bounds. The third algorithm generates a feasible speed profile subject to constraints on the rate of change in speed, permissible speed ranges, and effects of wind. Flight path parameters are then combined into a chronological sequence to form the 4-D guidance vectors. These vectors can be used to drive the autopilot/autothrottle of the aircraft so that a 4-D flight path could be tracked completely automatically; or these vectors may be used to drive the flight director and other cockpit displays, thereby enabling the pilot to track a 4-D flight path manually.
This study investigated the relative acceptance of different avionics implementations that present Flightdeck Interval Management (FIM) speeds and speed deviations to commercial pilots, and for indications of conditions that require action. Each crew evaluated four Avionics conditions: (1) Integrated in which the FIM target speed was presented in the upper left corner of the primary flight display (PFD) and speed profile deviation information was implicitly indicated as the deviation between current speed and an instantaneous speed profile bug on the PFD speed tape. In this Avionics condition, clearance information would have been entered, and could be referenced, on the FIM page in the MCDU. This page also gave a digital readout of speed profile deviation. Significant deviations from the speed profile triggered a message on the EICAS system. (2) EFB-Aft in which an aft-mounted EFB was used as the device housing the FIM algorithm and presented all the relevant information for the operation, including speed targets, speed deviation information, and all elements of the IM clearance. Significant deviations from the speed profile triggered messages on the same EFB display. (3) EFB-Fore in which the same information was presented as in the EFB-Aft condition, but the display was mounted in a more forward location, just under the outboard window. (4) EFB-Aft-AGD in which the EFB-Aft condition was augmented with the ADS-B Guidance Display (AGD). The AGD repeats the same FIM target speed and speed deviation information provided on the EFB. This study compares the efficacy of these Avionics Conditions as well as three methods of annunciating FIM events (a new speed, a reminder that a new speed occurred, and a deviation from the FIM speed profile), using only visual indications, visual indications and an aural for all events, or visual indications for all events plus an aural for speed deviations only. Results show clear preference for the Integrated condition and the use of aural indications. Other metrics of performance using these conditions and methods are mixed.
An analytical formula for solving the speed profile that accrues minimum cost during an aircraft descent with a constrained altitude profile is derived. The optimal speed profile first reaches a certain speed, called the minimum-cost speed, as quickly as possible using an appropriate extreme value of thrust. The speed profile then stays on the minimum-cost speed as long as possible, before switching to an extreme value of thrust for the rest of the descent. The formula is applied to an actual arrival route and its sensitivity to winds and airlines' business objectives is analyzed.
Flightdeck Interval Management is one of the NextGen operational concepts that FAA is sponsoring to realize requisite National Airspace System (NAS) efficiencies. Interval Management will reduce variability in temporal deviations at a position, and thereby reduce buffers typically applied by controllers - resulting in higher arrival rates, and more efficient operations. Ground software generates a strategic schedule of aircraft pairs. Air Traffic Control (ATC) provides an IM clearance with the IM spacing objective (i.e., the TTF, and at which point to achieve the appropriate spacing from this aircraft) to the IM aircraft. Pilots must dial FIM speeds into the speed window on the Mode Control Panel in a timely manner, and attend to deviations between actual speed and the instantaneous FIM profile speed. Here, the crew is assumed to be operating the aircraft with autothrottles on, with autopilot engaged, and the autoflight system in Vertical Navigation (VNAV) and Lateral Navigation (LNAV); and is responsible for safely flying the aircraft while maintaining situation awareness of their ability to follow FIM speed commands and to achieve the FIM spacing goal. The objective of this study is to examine whether three Notification Methods and four Avionics Conditions affect pilots' performance, ratings on constructs associated with performance (workload, situation awareness), or opinions on acceptability. Three Notification Methods (alternate visual and aural alerts that notified pilots to the onset of a speed target, conformance deviation from the required speed profile, and reminded them if they failed to enter the speed within 10 seconds) were examined. These Notification Methods were: VVV (visuals for all three events), VAV (visuals for all three events, plus an aural for speed conformance deviations), and AAA (visual indications and the same aural to indicate all three of these events). Avionics Conditions were defined by the instrumentation (and location) used to present IM information to crews: (1) Integrated (IM information is embedded in extant PFD (Primary Flight Display), ND (Navigation Display), EICAS (Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System) displays); (2) EFB_Aft (IM information is only supplied in an EFB and mounted in location similar to that for MITRE's UPS work); (3) EFB_Fore (IM information is only supplied in an EFB which is mounted more forward, under the side window), and (4) EFB_Aft plus use of an AGD (the same IM information is supplied in an EFB and on an AGD, both mounted in locations similar to that in MITRE's UPS work ). Twelve commercial pilot crews flew descent scenarios (VNAV Speed with the mode control panel (MCP) speed window open until flaps extended, then VNAV Path) in a commercial transport flight simulator with realistic visual scene and communications. The results of this study serve three practical aims: (1) contribute to the down-select of avionics configuration for future assessment of the ASTAR spacing algorithm at NASA; (2) provide information useful to the FAA Human Factors Division (ANG-C1)'s mission to identify issues pertinent to flight certification of, and flight standards; (3) identify methodological considerations in support of future FIM human-in-the-loop (HITL) investigations.
In many movements of the upper limb such as reaching, positioning, and displacing the objects, the hand moves smoothly along a uni-directional planar trajectory with a bell-shaped speed profile. Because of variability of the load, gravitational and velocity interaction forces between its segments, the dynamics of the arm during the motion is very complex. Motion of the upper arm and the forearm are coordinated to produce smooth movements despite such complex dynamics. This coordination constitutes an important organizational feature of arm movement. The present paper describes some experimental results related to the above and interprets their role in producing smooth motion of the hand. Trajectories of the right upper limb in vertical plane and the simultaneous muscles' EMG activities were recorded for extensions of various amplitudes under four loads. The forearm trajectories are smooth with bell-shaped speed profiles. The upper arm trajectories may have bimodal speed profiles and three segments, resembling an inverted 'Z.' Segmentation is sharper for the points near the shoulder joint, and is accentuated by load. As one moves from the central points near the shoulder joint to the peripheral points near the hand, the three segments merge and result in smooth curves with single-peaked speed profiles. The three segments have a coherent time course and can be identified rather accurately and non-ambiguously. The observed trajectories and the EMG patterns reveal an effective coordination strategy which utilizes the structure and the dynamics of the moving arm to produce smooth movement.
The zonal wind speed profile within Jupiter's upper troposphere is to be estimated on the basis of its influence on the frequency of the Galileo Probe's telemetry signal; this is achieved by linearizing the relativistic Doppler shift equation about a state of zero wind speed, expanding the zonal wind series in a Legendre polynomial series, and reducing the resulting equations to a linear, least-squares problem. If the error sources have magnitudes not greater than those presently assumed, the retrieved wind speed profiles can place a key constraint on the basic drive for the atmospheric circulation, as well as anchoring winds derived from Galileo Orbiter images to well-defined vertical positions in the atmosphere.
A method for providing a coast recommendation for an operator of a vehicle, including receiving vehicle position data; determining a projected route; determining a first speed change position and a first speed change target speed; determining a first residual speed and a first residual speed position based at least in part on the first speed change position and the first speed change target speed; determining a first lower speed envelope; determining an overall lower speed envelope based at least in part on the first residual speed; determining an upper speed envelope; determining a target speed profile based at least in part on the first residual speed, the first residual speed position, the first lower speed envelope, and the upper speed envelope; determining a coast start point based at least in part on the target speed profile; and communicating the coast start point to the operator of the vehicle.
The research during the first year of the effort focused on the implementation of the recently developed combination of neural net work adaptive control and feedback linearization. At the core of this research is the comprehensive simulation code Generic Tiltrotor Simulator (GTRS) of the XV-15 tilt rotor aircraft. For this research the GTRS code has been ported to a Fortran environment for use on PC. The emphasis of the research is on terminal area approach procedures, including conversion from aircraft to helicopter configuration. This report focuses on the longitudinal control which is the more challenging case for augmentation. Therefore, an attitude command attitude hold (ACAH) control augmentation is considered which is typically used for the pitch channel during approach procedures. To evaluate the performance of the neural network adaptive control architecture it was necessary to develop a set of low order pilot models capable of performing such tasks as, follow desired altitude profiles, follow desired speed profiles, operate on both sides of powercurve, convert, including flaps as well as mastangle changes, operate with different stability and control augmentation system (SCAS) modes. The pilot models are divided in two sets, one for the backside of the powercurve and one for the frontside. These two sets are linearly blended with speed. The mastangle is also scheduled with speed. Different aspects of the proposed architecture for the neural network (NNW) augmented model inversion were also demonstrated. The demonstration involved implementation of a NNW architecture using linearized models from GTRS, including rotor states, to represent the XV-15 at various operating points. The dynamics used for the model inversion were based on the XV-15 operating at 30 Kts, with residualized rotor dynamics, and not including cross coupling between translational and rotational states. The neural network demonstrated ACAH control under various circumstances. Future efforts will include the implementation into the Fortran environment of GTRS, including pilot modeling and NNW augmentation for the lateral channels. These efforts should lead to the development of architectures that will provide for fully automated approach, using similar strategies.
The development of a microjoule-class pulsed Doppler lidar and deployment of this compact system on mobile platforms such as aircraft, ships, or trucks have opened a new opportunity to characterize the dynamics of complex mesoscale wind flows. The PickUp-based Mobile Atmospheric Sounder (PUMAS) truck-based lidar system was recently used during the American Wake Experiment (AWAKEN) to assess the general structure of boundary layer (BL) wind and turbulence around wind turbines in central Oklahoma. Wind speed profiles averaged over PUMAS transects influenced by the operating turbines (waked flow) show a 1–2 m s −1 reduction compared to mean undisturbed (free flow) wind speed profiles. Spatial variability in wind speed was observed in time–height cross-sections at different distances from turbines. The wind speeds were about 9–12 m s −1 at 6 km distance compared to 5–7 m s −1 at the transects near the turbines. The PUMAS dataset from AWAKEN demonstrated the capability of the mobile Doppler lidar system to document spatial variability in wind flows at different distances from wind turbines and obtain quantitative estimates of wind speed reduction in the waked flow. The high-frequency, simultaneous measurements of the horizontal and vertical winds provide a new approach for characterizing dynamic processes critical for wind farm wake analyses.
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Speed profiles of rail passenger service between New York City and Washington, D.C. were developed and showed progressively fewer speed restrictions and increasing maximum speeds. The significant equipment characteristics include the portion of the total weight on driven axles, i.e., multiple unit (MU) cars versus locomotive hauled trains, and the short term tractive effort rating of the motors. The ratio of acceleration plus braking time to total time is provided for validation of the use of the short term propulsion equipment ratings. Absolute trip times are shown to be determined primarily by the allowed speed profile. Locomotive hauled train weights and lengths and the locomotive capabilities and characteristics that are required to make the performance of this type of train comparable to that of MU trains are given.
Concepts and computer algorithms for generating time controlled four dimensional descent trajectories are described. The algorithms were implemented in the air traffic control simulator and used by experienced controllers in studies of advanced air traffic flow management procedures. A time controlled descent trajectory comprises a vector function of time, including position, altitude, and heading, that starts at the initial position of the aircraft and ends at touchdown. The trajectory provides a four dimensional reference path which will cause an aircraft tracking it to touchdown at a predetermined time with a minimum of fuel consumption. The problem of constructing such trajectories is divided into three subproblems involving synthesis of horizontal, vertical, and speed profiles. The horizontal profile is constructed as a sequence of turns and straight lines passing through a specified set of waypoints. The vertical profile consists of a sequence of level flight and constant descent angle segments defined by altitude waypoints. The speed profile is synthesized as a sequence of constant Mach number, constant indicated airspeed, and acceleration/deceleration legs. It is generated by integrating point mass differential equations of motion, which include the thrust and drag models of the aircraft.
NASA's first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature air traffic management technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise timebased scheduling in the terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides controllers with decision support tools enabling precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain precise in-trail spacing. During high demand operations, TMA-TM may produce a schedule and corresponding aircraft trajectories that include delay to ensure that a particular aircraft will be properly spaced from other aircraft at each schedule waypoint. These delayed trajectories are not communicated to the automation onboard the aircraft, forcing the IM aircraft to use the published speeds to estimate the target aircraft's estimated time of arrival. As a result, the aircraft performing IM operations may follow an aircraft whose TMA-TM generated trajectories have substantial speed deviations from the speeds expected by the spacing algorithm. Previous spacing algorithms were not designed to handle this magnitude of uncertainty. A simulation was conducted to examine a modified spacing algorithm with the ability to follow aircraft flying delayed trajectories. The simulation investigated the use of the new spacing algorithm with various delayed speed profiles and wind conditions, as well as several other variables designed to simulate real-life variability. The results and conclusions of this study indicate that the new spacing algorithm generally exhibits good performance; however, some types of target aircraft speed profiles can cause the spacing algorithm to command less than optimal speed control behavior.
The polar parabolic equation (POPE) method solves for the diffraction of sound by a curved surface including a realistic sound speed profile. POPE is outlined briefly to describe diffraction which propagates the field over a hill. Experimental data are compared with POPE predictions using the measured sound speed profile and ground impedance. Two trial cases are considered for the comparisons: the helicopter located at the base of the hill and far away from the base of the hill, respectively. The physical mechanisms for sound propagation over a hill are examined with and of POPE calculations and experimental data. The shedding of rays from the hillside gives an interference effect with a wave along the flat surface beyond the base of a hill.
Extreme wind phenomena play a crucial role in the efficient operation of wind farms for renewable energy generation. However, existing detection methods are computationally expensive, limited to specific coordinate. In real-world scenarios, understanding the occurrence of these phenomena over a large area is essential. Therefore, there is a significant demand for a fast and accurate approach to forecast such events. In this paper, we propose a novel method for detecting wind phenomena using topological analysis, leveraging the gradient of wind speed or critical points in a topological framework. By extracting topological features from the wind speed profile within a defined region, we employ topological distance to identify extreme wind phenomena. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing topological features derived from regional wind speed profiles. We validate our approach using high-resolution simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) over a month in the US East Coast.